To people on the outside, Kevin Costner’s nearly 20 years of marriage to Christine Baumgartner seemed like the perfect relationship. It seems the celebrated actor was under a similar impression since even he was allegedly shocked when he found out.
Keep reading to learn more about what prompted Christine Baumgartner to file for divorce after 18 years of marriage.
The 68-year-old actor was apparently blindsided by his 49-year-old wife of 18 years Christine Baumgartner filing for divorce. Apparently, Costner’s absence was ‘hard’ for Baumgartner who wanted the actor to spend more time at home with his family in Santa Barbara.
‘During filming, Kevin is not around very much. His absence has been very hard for her,’ a source reportedly said. Another insider reported that while Costner was aware that his wife was unhappy in their marriage, her filing for divorce was nonetheless a shock to him.
Costner has recently been experiencing a revival in his career with his series Yellowstone being a smash hit. The actor also has an upcoming directorial project which is a Western epic titled Horizon. His current schedule and upcoming project apparently caused his wife to worry about his availability.
‘Christine doesn’t want him to throw himself into another project. He has been obsessed with filming Horizon since last year. She wasn’t happy about it,’ a source reported.
‘At times, his career has taken precedence over his home life,’ another source added.
According to the source, he ‘hasn’t been home very much for quite some time due to filming, the popularity of Yellowstone, and the time necessary for his other projects. He has been in demand.’
‘All of this success and excitement over the new project probably took his attention away from his family more than he realized. Since it didn’t look like that would change and likely could get worse, it caused tension at home,’ the source added.
The couple had been married since 2004. Christine filed for divorce citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for doing so. The couple shares three children together, Cayden, Hayes, and Grace. All their children are minors.
This was not Kevin Costner’s first marriage. The actor has previously been married to Cindy Silva from 1978 to 1994. He shares three children with Silva; Annie, Lily, and Joe. They are all in their thirties. The actor also has a son named Liam Coster with Bridget Rooney; the result of a short-lived affair after Costner’s first divorce.
The actor has reportedly been in Utah filming his upcoming film Horizon; his first directorial project in over 20 years after his 2003 movie Open Range.
Prior to his directing commitment in Utah, the actor was reportedly busy filming his hit television series Yellowstone in Montana. Last week, Paramount announced that the show will end following the current season.
It has been speculated that Christine had asked Costner to leave the show last year or she would leave him.
On Tuesday, Costner filed his response to the divorce and has also asked for joint custody of their three children. The couple began dating one another in 2000. Baumgartner, a model and fashion designer at the time married the actor in 2004 at his ranch in Aspen, Colorado.
‘It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action,’ read a prepared statement from Kevin Costner’s representative.
‘We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time,’ the statement further read.
According to reports, Baumgartner has not filed for spousal support. Costner’s response has been filed by Laura Wasser. ‘Spousal support to be payable to petitioner pursuant to the terms of the parties’ Premarital Agreement,’ Wasser added, indicating that there is a pre-nuptial agreement between both parties.
A hearing for their case is set for July.
This is not Costner’s first marriage. He was previously married to Cindy Silva from 1978 to 1994. The couple met as students when they were both attending California State University – Fullerton.
Silva is said to have supported Costner during his years as a struggling actor. She took odd jobs to support his dreams, including working as Snow White at Disneyland.
The couple went on to have three children together. The news of their divorce came after it was alleged that Costner had been having an affair with famed hula dancer named Michele Amaral while he was in Hawaii filming his multi-million dollar flop Waterworld. The actor has always vehemently denied all allegations of an affair with Amaral. In an interview once, Costner grew angry when asked about his affair with Amaral and said, ‘This woman has done nothing wrong and yet has had to share the harsh light of celebrity with me. I feel embarrassed, and I don’t think there’s one thing I can do to make her life better.’
It is undoubtedly a tough time for the Costner clan. They are in our thoughts as they navigate this rocky part of their lives. Share this with other fans of the actor so they can stay updated with news about him.